TY - JOUR
T1 - Classification criteria for cervical radiculopathy
T2 - An international e-Delphi study
AU - Lam, Kwun N.
AU - Heneghan, Nicola R.
AU - Mistry, Jai
AU - Ojoawo, Adesola O.
AU - Peolsson, Anneli
AU - Verhagen, Arianne P.
AU - Tampin, Brigitte
AU - Thoomes, Erik
AU - Jull, Gwendolen
AU - Scholten -Peeters, Gwendolyne G.M.
AU - Slater, Helen
AU - Moloney, Niamh
AU - Hall, Toby
AU - Dedering, Åsa
AU - Rushton, Alison
AU - Falla, Deborah
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 The Authors
PY - 2022/10
Y1 - 2022/10
N2 - Background: Establishing a set of uniform classification criteria (CC) for cervical radiculopathy (CR) is required to aid future recruitment of homogenous populations to clinical trials. Objectives: To establish expert informed consensus on CC for CR. Design: A pre-defined four round e-Delphi study in accordance with the guidance on Conducting and Reporting Delphi Studies. Methods: Individuals with a background in physiotherapy who had authored two or more peer-reviewed publications on CR were invited to participate. The initial round asked opinions on CC for CR. Content analysis was performed on round one output and a list of discrete items were generated forming the round two survey. In rounds two to four, participants were asked to rate the level of importance of each item on a six-point Likert scale. Data were analysed descriptively using median, interquartile range and percentage agreement. Items reaching pre-defined consensus criteria were carried forward to the next round. Items remaining after the fourth round constituted expert consensus on CC for CR. Results: Twelve participants participated with one drop out. The final round identified one inclusion CC and 12 exclusion CC. The inclusion CC that remained achieved 82% agreement and was a cluster criterion consisting of radicular pain with arm pain worse than neck pain; paraesthesia or numbness and/or weakness and/or altered reflex; MRI confirmed nerve root compression compatible with clinical findings. Conclusions: The CC identified can be used to inform eligibility criteria for future CR trials although caution should be practiced as consensus on measurement tools requires further investigation.
AB - Background: Establishing a set of uniform classification criteria (CC) for cervical radiculopathy (CR) is required to aid future recruitment of homogenous populations to clinical trials. Objectives: To establish expert informed consensus on CC for CR. Design: A pre-defined four round e-Delphi study in accordance with the guidance on Conducting and Reporting Delphi Studies. Methods: Individuals with a background in physiotherapy who had authored two or more peer-reviewed publications on CR were invited to participate. The initial round asked opinions on CC for CR. Content analysis was performed on round one output and a list of discrete items were generated forming the round two survey. In rounds two to four, participants were asked to rate the level of importance of each item on a six-point Likert scale. Data were analysed descriptively using median, interquartile range and percentage agreement. Items reaching pre-defined consensus criteria were carried forward to the next round. Items remaining after the fourth round constituted expert consensus on CC for CR. Results: Twelve participants participated with one drop out. The final round identified one inclusion CC and 12 exclusion CC. The inclusion CC that remained achieved 82% agreement and was a cluster criterion consisting of radicular pain with arm pain worse than neck pain; paraesthesia or numbness and/or weakness and/or altered reflex; MRI confirmed nerve root compression compatible with clinical findings. Conclusions: The CC identified can be used to inform eligibility criteria for future CR trials although caution should be practiced as consensus on measurement tools requires further investigation.
KW - Cervical radiculopathy
KW - Classification
KW - Delphi technique
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85132431675&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.msksp.2022.102596
DO - 10.1016/j.msksp.2022.102596
M3 - Article
C2 - 35671539
AN - SCOPUS:85132431675
SN - 2468-8630
VL - 61
JO - Musculoskeletal Science and Practice
JF - Musculoskeletal Science and Practice
M1 - 102596
ER -